Exploring the Citadel (Samael, open)

[Eanos]

The sound of his name in something like the correct pronunciation caused him to turn and pay more attention to his companion for it was a courtesy which he hadn't expected and one which he'd not been concerned with. Yet another mark scored by the man and Eanos realised that he was losing a battle he wasn't especially interested in.

"It is a family name," he answered unconsciously flexing his left arm which on his bare upper torso clearly gave away his clan identification for those who knew what to look for but it wasn't something that Isur talked about outside of those who were close to them.

He nodded at the news that Sam too was a stranger here. "That looks good," he said pointing at something he'd seen several people eating. "Do you fancy that?"

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam didn't ask Eanos about the mark on his torso, falling back on some long ago Drykas politesse. He hid his own mark, so nobody would know of his heritage. They were all dead anyway. He just nodded at the Isur's explanation. It was an interesting tidbit of knowledge. He wondered what sort of horses they had there, but figured he would ask later if he didn't brush him off.

"It looks good to me, but hunger makes the best sauce." His stomach growled again, sounding like a wild animal in some Myrian jungle. He wondered if he had yet another growth spurt coming on. "But I'll have whatever you're having," he added, embarrassed again by his hunger.

[Eanos]

Eanos gave a grunt of laughter at the misbehaviour of his new companions stomach and relaxed a little. He closed the distance on the stall and what he lacked in height he made up for in bulk so it didn't take him long to reach the front of the short queue, especially since he wasn't concerned about hurting anyones feelings. He ignored the glares from those he had bypassed and simply flexed the muscles in the black arm which marked him as being a part of the Pitreus clan.

"I'll take two of those," he said to the stallholder pointing at a man who was just walking away and had chosen the dish which Eanos had his eye on. It took but a moment for the steaming meat to be dispensed and coin to be given in exchange. This close to the stall the smell of food was overpowering and it reminded Eanos that he'd not eaten that day, a triggering of memory at which his stomach gave a lurch though not as loudly as that of Sam. He moved away from the stall and handed over one of the meals to the human.

"There," he said and immediately started stuffing food into his mouth before taking a breath. "So what brings you and Horse to this place then?" Curiosity it seemed was getting the better of him.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam hung back a bit while Eanos went about procuring the food. He had stolen from too many vendors to give them even the hint that he might be nicking their wares by lurking too closely when someone was buying his food fair and square. He took the opportunity to study the Isur, as he had rarely been afforded the chance to see one up close for any amount of time.

"Thank you," he said, while silently he added a Pavi well-wishing: 'May the wind ever be at thy back.'

After a thoughtful bite, he swallowed and explained: "I've been more or less mobile for the past couple of years. We had never been to Syliras before, and so it seemed like we would have to stop here in our tour of the world. So far I am enjoying it. Horse too. What about yourself?"

His answer given, he fell to eating with more gusto, though he tried not to behave quite like a ravenous wolf in the wilds in front of this man. He didn't know of what Isur table manners consisted.

[Eanos]

The meat tasted much as Eanos had expected, but then that was no great surprise given his auristics training and it did not take long before he'd managed to get a good way through what had been served up to him.

"Thank you," he replied to the blessing, somewhat taken off guard by it, for he tended to not realise that others might be dedicated to their own gods. Still though it all sounded a little frivolous, to be travelling the world for no reason other than because the man could.

"I came here to further my training in the workings of metals and to that end I have secured myself a job in the Ironworks." He glanced up at this to see if the man caught the reference to having work and a real purpose in life. "I will not remain here forever, but when I return home I intend to have a firm foundation on which to build with studies of djed."

He finished the food, having eaten nearly as quickly as Sam. "Do you know the way to the Castle from here? I was intending to learn how it was laid out." It seemed a more prosaic reason for going there than just the natural curiosity which he had just scorned in his mind.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"There is a lot of work to be had here," he agreed, thinking of his barter-teaching with Jaeden, and wondering whether he would elect more permanent employment in some stable or otherwise. If not, he might leave after the Festival to see what else was out there. "But..." Confusion clouded his brown eyes and open face. "Why work at the Ironworks here? Aren't the Isurian smithies of better quality?"

While Eanos considered that, he turned his head to find his landmarks, then pointed.

"If you go this way and take the next left, you'll come to a wider boulevard that leads up to the castle."

[Eanos]

"Isurian smithies are of course the best, our people have a natural talent for the work and the time in which to learn the true secrets of the craft," he spoke with a good deal more animation than he had before and he held up his left hand, black skinned as it was in comparison to the blue tinge of the rest of his body to illustrate one of the natural advantages of being an Isur.

"But the Ironworks here are owned and run by an Isur, it is why the Knights trust him to produce what they need. And in any case, at home my clan are scholars, not smiths." He closed his mouth abruptly realising that his enthusiasm had led him to reveal something which the man had no right in knowing, for Isur business was for Isur only and not something to be gossiped about by the other races.

Still though this man seemed not as the others he had met. "There is to be a Festival?" He asked the question curious, "what is the nature of the celebration?" He'd missed the Kings Day on his trip here, missed in the sense of only offering prayers, but if there were to be something he could work towards then it was worth knowing.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Ahh, I didn't know the local ironworks was an Isurian operation, but that speaks highly of it's quality, huh?"

Given the invitation to examine Eanos' black hand, he took the opportunity to do so. That meant it wasn't, technically, ogling. If the tidbit about his scholarly family was a secret, it went over Sam's head. He respected blacksmiths and scholars alike because they could both do many things that he could not.

"I think it's a spring festival, but I'm not sure. Next month. Everyone's been sort of vague about it."

[Eanos]

"Ah," Eanos replied in a non-descript way to cover his disappointment that Sam didn't know the details, but perhaps he, rationalised to himself that it was only to be expected since the human was by his own admission still a stranger here. Still though he tucked the tidbit of information away for further investigation as it might well prove the inspiration for some piece of work which he could dedicate to Izurian.

"You said that you wandered," he said, unsure of why he was prolonging the conversation when he had now every reason to be able to walk away, "but you did not mention what it was that you did to support yourself." Likely as not this man was not possessed of a great many coins, and certainly the way he dressed did not indicate any other possibility, but trade was trade and never should an opportunity be missed, especially now the superiority of Isurian work had been mutually established.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"I have been training people to ride and care for horses," he said, open and amiable. "I might be offering my services in selecting a horse for one of my client's soon. It would be wise of him, since he knows nothing about horse quality, so we shall see. But that's what I'm good for, mostly. I was raised in a stable."

That wasn't exactly the truth; it was more of a half-truth. In his Drykas days, he had been raised as all the young in the pavilion. In slavery, he had raised himself -- technically in a stable. But nobody needed to know of his Drykas heritage, and nobody needed to know he had been a slave. He was happier as his reinvented self, the wandering horseboy.